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Problems of conservation: wildlife

by: Encyclopaedia Britannica Educational Corporation

Publication date: 1970

Topics: 16mm Film, Educational Film, Wildlife conservation, Rare animals, Wildlife refuges

Publisher: Chicago : Encyclopaedia Britannica Educational Corp.

Digitizing sponsor: Internet Archive

Contributor: Internet Archive

Language: English

Explains the need for conservation of wildlife in order to preserve the ecological balance of nature. Describes the endangered status of many species today, what has been done to control impending extinction in the past, and what can be done in the future through refuges

Search Educational Film Journals at Media History Project for references to this film

Access-restricted-item: true

Addeddate: 2015-01-16 21:20:23

Boxid: IA1113005

Identifier: problemsofconservationwildlife

Lccn: 77712293

Oclc_id: 9308684

Ocr: Why do people want. Man is the only animal that is aware of being an endangered species. None of the others sense that unfortunate changes in environment make them all candidates for extinction. Ever. Since life on earth began. Animal species have evolved and disappeared because of climatic N.-G. O. logical changes. Disease and competition with other species but this kind of extinction was a slow natural process. Then came man. For thousands of years he was a predator who took only what was needed for survival. But as the effectiveness of his weapons and tools increased man began to dominate the biosphere. Natural resources were used or destroyed as though they were in the exhaustible. Wherever man's population increased there was a corresponding decrease in wildlife population. The list of species in danger of extinction. Grows every year. As man changes the earth to meet his own needs. Survival becomes more difficult for wildlife. Many of our most valuable fish and water fowl resources are found in marshlands and estuaries along our coasts. Destroy estuaries and you destroy vast spawning nesting and food producing areas. Yet developers are filling these wetlands for homes at an alarming rate. Is this using our resources wisely. What can we do to enable wildlife to survive under the conditions we impose on them. For the passenger pigeon it is too late. But the small herds of buffalo we see today are evidence that wildlife can be saved if a man so desires. Forty years ago there was scarcely any grad left in North America because of the plumage hunters. Only in recent years through passage of laws prohibiting the military traffic in birds have snowy and American a gret begun to regain their numbers. The majestic hooping crane is one of nature's triumphs and perhaps our greatest conservation story in one hundred forty one only fifteen were left. Today in wildlife refuges where it is protected from the guns and traps of man that will bring crane population has now reached fifty seven not many but the species still survive as a direct result of man's conservation effort. Today. Numerous reservations and game refuges are found on the North American continent. These areas are managed by federal state and local government as well as private organizations and individuals. Parks at the national state and local level also offer food and protection to species living inside their boundaries. Within refuge areas a close watch is kept on animal species such as these sandhill cranes get there should be changes in this population or any other within the area. Factors which may be causing these changes can then be identified. In the Keys of southern Florida the tiny elusive Key Deer were found to be facing extinction from overhunting land development. Hurricanes and fires now protected through contributions of lending money. Its numbers have increased from thirty five to four hundred. But wildlife conservation is more than protection of a few endangered species. It entailed management of the whole environment or ecosystem for instance about twenty years ago in one area a ban on hunting was thought to be the simplest way to ensure preservation of a diminishing deer population with no predacious by man and little by other animals the deer population soon outstripped its food supply. Deaths were numbered in the thousands. Of ban on hunting is not necessarily the answer to conservation of the species. Sometimes when animal numbers increase too rapidly controlled hunting is an effective way to reduce the population. Through refuge development and good management there have been increasing numbers of a few waterfalls be She's such as the Canada goose. A balanced network of refuges furnish food and rest for the migrating the. And rely places more inventories and study of distribution that. This information is used to set funding these and bag limit which tend to keep the population in control. Legislation has also been and acted to provide a special licence for hunters the fees are used to establish more bird refuges. International treaties with Canada and Mexico. Offered for their protection to waterfall in nesting and wintering ground. Occasionally And in that lens in native populations may occur through introduction of an alien species. In the thirty's the seal and pray gained access to the Great Lakes when the Welland ship canal was enlarged and deepened. Within a few decades the lamp Ray became a menace nearly destroying lake trout population. After twenty years of federal state partnership chemical and electrical means have been found that are eighty percent efficient in eliminating the lamp or a. Tourist or a fish resources in waters ruined by the lamp radio at your ease are stocking millions of COBOL when Chinook salmon in streams leading into the lakes. These Alaskan strange salmon were first planted in Michigan Rivers a few years ago. The present spectacular fishing is evidence of the growing success of this experiment. It further shows the wisdom of managing fisheries resources as well as game resources. Biologists. Are now concerned with another fish species which threatens the ecological balance of Florida's ponds and rivers as the Lamb paraded in the lakes. Imported from Southeast Asia for aquarium use the walking catfish escaped into the state's waters where it eats the food that has the stain other fish its ability to breathe out of water and move about on land have thwarted efforts at extermination. All our efforts to conserve wildlife raises the question Why. What is so important about wildlife species that we should spend time and money to save them. We all live in one world. A community in which man and animals and plants interact affecting one another. Whenever a single species is lost it mean fun thing in the environment has changed many times for the worse. We have made real progress in restoring and maintaining wildlife resources. But there will continue to be problems. In the case of this airport we have had to weigh advantages of change against effects detrimental to the environment. What effect would millions of passenger pigeons and Buffalo have had on wheat and corn farming in North America. Conserving wildlife is also important because it affords inspiration and Recreation for man and a fuller more diverse world in which to live. To this end the Philippines are constantly being developed in the refuge areas so that more people can enjoy these benefits as civilization continues to encroach upon more and more of the land managed refuge systems all over the world may afford to untamed creatures their only protection from the predatory economics of our world. Their survival may mean our survival too. Here. Union. Me me me me me. Me. And. It's.